I Promise I Won't Leave You
by opalgalaxies
Summary: Amy wakes up in the Glade without any memory. Lucky for her, she's surrounded by Gladers with the same problem. She adjusts and things start to seem okay for Amy. Until Thomas arrives and everything goes wrong.
1. Chapter 1

My eyes open to darkness. Complete blackness, a vacuum, a void of pure blindness. I shoot straight up from my seat on a cold, hard surface and release a scream.

Through the darkness, I feel movement. Upwards. Whatever cruel contraption that I have been contained in was moving upwards, carrying my body with it.

Mountains of questions swirl through my groggy brain.

Where am I? Who am I? Who put me here? Why am I here? Where am I going? Why can't I remember anything?

That last question sends me into panic. I don't know who I am. I have no idea who my parents are, my friends, where I came from. Nothing.

I'm breathing faster now. Practically hyperventilating. Silent tears slip down my cheeks. I have to remember.

I know everything else that you could know; riding a bike with my friends, laughter, sunburns, car rides, cold winter air, homemade pumpkin pie, and everything else you could imagine, but it seemed as though everything personal and unique to me had been wiped.

I thought hard, trying to remember something. Anything. In turn, by brain gave me something: Amy. My name was Amy.

I felt around. The box felt metal, and was consistently moving up. Would it ever stop?

Then, seemingly right on cue, it did. The box came to an abrupt stop, and, instinctively, I jumped.

Loud, jarring noises erupted from above me and I brought my gaze upward. The box began to open, bright, blinding sunlight replacing the pitch blackness. I squinted as I looked up, dozens of faces staring down upon me.

"It's a girl!" One of them yelled.

"Is she hot?" Another chimed in.

"What's she look like?"

"I call dibs!"

"No way! That's not fair!"

Commotion broke out amongst the foreign people, who continued the staring, looking stunned, as though I was an alien species beyond their wildest dreams.

"Shut your holes," a deep voice shouted out, breaking the commotion. "None of you shanks is callin' dibs on her, or touchin' her at all for that matter. We'll do with her what we do with everyone else," it said.

A face came through the center of the rest, the source of the voice.

He was dark-skinned, with broad, muscular shoulders and a face that showed that he meant business.

He looked down at me and said "We'll throw a rope down for you. Put your foot through the loop and we'll pull you up."

I nodded numbly and he threw the rope down as he had said. I stood slowly and put my foot through the rope-loop as I had been instructed.

Then I felt myself being pulled higher until finally I reached the top. The dark-skinned boy offered his hand and he pulled me the rest of the way out of the metallic prison.

My legs felt like jello beneath me the second I stood and I tumbled down onto soft, green grass, earning chuckles and snickers from the crowd.

I hastily pulled myself to my feet, embarrassed.

"You remember anything?" He asked.

"Just my name," I said. "It's Amy. Where am I?" I asked the dark-skinned boy softly. He looked about 18 or so. I had to tilt my head up to see his face.

"Welcome to the Glade, greenie." He said.

Greenie? What did that mean?

"What?" I muttered. What did that mean?

"This here is the Glade." Glade? Greenie?

I wanted to ask what "greenie" and "glade" meant, but I was afraid that the dark-skinned boy would think I was stupid.

"I'm Alby," he told me. "You'll learn everything slowly, piece by piece. I'll take you on a tour of the place. No questions till the end, got it?" I nodded and he continued.

"This here is the Glade," he said, gesturing to the vast area that we were in the center of. "It's where we live. We call ourselves Gladers."

Surrounding the Glade were four huge stone walls with openings on each one. I wanted to know what the heck that was all about, but I remembered him telling me to save my questions for the end.

Then, as if he had read my mind, he said "Out there's the Maze. Don't go out there." He replied firmly.

"Why?" I pressed, ignoring his no-questions rule.

"I told you no questions till the end, shuck-face," He snapped at me. Shuck-face? I knew it sounded like an insult, but what exactly did it mean?

He took me through the rest of the Glade, beginning from the Box, where I came up from, which was in the center of the Glade. Supplies were delivered in it weekly and a new "greenie" monthly.

From there, he explained to me that the Glade was divided into four sections; the Bloodhouse, where the animals are raised and then slaughtered, the Gardens, where the crops are grown, the Deadheads, a forest with a graveyard and the Homestead, where everyone sleeps. Or are supposed to, anyway.

Alby said that most of the Gladers just slept outside. He explained to me that everyone had a job and that I would try out for all of them over the next two weeks to find out what worked.

And with that, he left me on my own. I wandered aimlessly, unsure of what to do or where to go. Everyone else seemed so focused on their job, they seemed so useful.

I didn't fit in at all. Breaking me from my thoughts, a tall, blonde boy who I recognized from earlier approached me.

"You look kind of lost," he chuckled, his voice laced with an accent. "Name's Newt," he said, extending his hand for me to shake.

"I'm Amy," I said, my anxiety of this place slowly melting off of me with Newt's friendliness.

"Well Amy, how's life in the Glade been treatin' ya?" He asked, to which I replied with a shrug. He chuckled at that and spoke again.

"Alby doesn't want ya sleepin' in with the rest of the Gladers, so you'll sleep on the top floor of the Homestead, where Alby and I sleep."

I nodded. "Okay. Thank you," I said to Newt. He seemed nicer than Alby, and more eager to actually help me, and I appreciated it.

"Come on," he said. "I'll show you to it." I followed him to the Homestead and he lead me inside and up a flight of stairs to what I assumed to be the top floor.

Then he took me into one of the rooms, which I presumed to be his.

It was small, just as all of the others were, with a hammock in the corner and a small desk and chair on the wall opposite of the door, papers littering the surface.

"You can sleep here," he said, gesturing to the hammock. "I'll just be next door, if you need me. Oh, and I think that this is for you," he said, handing me a small, black bag, which kind of resembled a mini duffle bag.

"Thank you," I said genuinely, looking up to smile at him.

"You're welcome," he responded. "Goodnight." Then he shut the door and left.

I set my bag on the hammock to examine its contents. On the top was a small slip of paper that read "Amy."

I set the note aside and unzipped the bag, peering inside. On the top, was a toothbrush, a tiny tube of toothpaste, a travel-sized hair comb, and a small deodorant.

And the most important of the toiletries, an unlabeled box of tampons. This had me relieved, as I was worried that they wouldn't have any supplies, being a group consisting of only boys.

Underneath of that, were three t-shirts and three pairs of Capri-length pants. Rolled up within these, were an extra pair of socks, two pairs of underwear and a nude, cotton bra.

I stuffed everything back into the bag and zipped it to its close.

How could I make it with just one bra? I wondered. Wait a minute. Was I wearing a bra? I hadn't really taken the time to wonder what I had looked like or examine my clothing.

I made a mental note to ask Newt what I looked like in the morning.

I felt along my chest and confirmed that I was already wearing a bra. I guessed that I was also wearing underwear.

I peered down at my feet to find myself wearing socks with simple tan boots. I unlaced them and set them aside along with the bag.

Then, before I went to sleep, I removed the bra I wore and put it into the bag, setting it under the hammock.

Then I laid down and slipped into a sleep that was, unfortunately, anything but peaceful.


	2. Chapter 2

_A hand came from behind me and forcefully clamped down onto my mouth._

 _I let out a muffled scream into my assailant's hand as an arm wrapped around my body, pulling it closer to his._

 _I whipped my head around to find my mother, unfazed by her daughter's attack, standing still with a sad smile etched onto her face._

 _Why wasn't she helping me? What's going on?_

 _I looked around again, desperate to find someone else to rescue me, but the area was empty and barren._

 _Tears slipped onto my cheeks and melted into my cries as I was dragged further, sparing one last look at my mother._

 _She waved goodbye, her face still formed into the sickening smile, and left. Just like that. She left me._

I woke up from the dream sweating and in tears, to find Newt standing over me, his hands gripping my shoulders and a worried look on his face.

"Amy! Amy! What's wrong?" He asked in a terrified whisper. "You were screaming," he said before I could answer.

"It was just a dream," I assured him as I sat upright. "I'm fine now."

He must've realized that he was still on top of me, his hands still gripping my shoulders, so he quickly climbed off to stand beside the bed.

Newt hesitated before nodding. "Okay, are you sure?" he asked. I nodded. "Um, goodnight," he said. And with that he walked back out of the room and into the one next door.

I heard hushed voices in the room next door, probably Newt reporting to Alby that I was okay.

I sigh and lay back down on the bed to stare at the wooden ceiling. Little cracks and holes in the wood revealed the blackened night sky.

I secretly wanted to ask Newt to stay, partly because I was still scared from the dream and also partly because I, well, I enjoyed his presence.

It was comforting and relaxing, but I barely knew him and I doubted that he would actually want to stay.

I sighed. I knew that I wouldn't be able to get back to sleep after that, so I tried to occupy my mind by studying every crack, hole, indent and knot in the wood that hung above me, but to no avail.

I tossed and turned for a while, before deciding that there was no way that I could lay there for hours before the sun rose.

I slowly sat up and pivoted so me feet hung above the wood floor.

I must not be very tall, as everyone seems to be a head taller than me and my feet didn't even touch the ground when I sat on the bed, which was pretty low to the ground in the first place.

I made another mental note to also ask Newt how tall he thought I was. And I should probably ask my age, too.

That felt so weird, not even knowing how old I was. I couldn't even make a guess. I could be fifty for all I knew.

I began to put the tiniest amount of my weight onto the floorboards, wincing as they creaked beneath me.

Slowly, I transferred all of my weight off of the bed and onto the floor and stood up fully.

I took one tentative step towards the door and winced again at the noises that the action emitted.

Hesitantly, I took a second step, pausing to allow the creaking to subside before continuing.

I made my way to the door and down the hall like this, which took forever, but I didn't want to wake anyone.

I moved a bit faster down the stairs, as I knew that they weren't as close to the rooms.

Finally, I had reached the doorway that lead outside. The soft grass tickled my feet and I realized that I had forgotten my shoes and socks.

But I didn't care. Somehow I knew that I liked being barefoot, despite this being the only time that I could remember it.

Besides, there was no way that I was going all the way back up to the room at the pace that I was required to keep so I didn't wake anyone.

But, now that I was outside, I could walk as fast or slow as I wanted, as the ground below me absorbed my weight and made little to no sound.

I started walking in the direction opposite of where I came from the Homestead, unsure of where to go.

I thought for a moment, trying to recall all of what Alby had told me about where and what everything in the Glade was.

Then my mind landed on the most obvious solution: the Deadheads. It was the forest of the Glade, which would offer me seclusion and quiet, and it also wasn't out in the open.

I had made my decision and began walking in the direction of the Deadheads and continued after I had reached its beginning.

I quickened to a jog until I found a tree that I thought would be suitable and began to climb.

I was around halfway up until I found a large, thick and sturdy branch that would be perfect for me to sit on.

I adjusted myself until I was comfortable and observed my surroundings.

Unfortunately, there really wasn't much to observe, as there really wasn't anything other than trees.

So, I leaned my head against the trunk of the tree to observe the sky. It was very plain, and barren of stars, with noting but a moon, which was full that night.

Or maybe the moon was always full here and the sky wasn't even real. That would explain the absence of stars.

That was another weird thing about my memory. Despite never remembering actually seeing stars in the sky, I knew what they looked and that they were supposed to be there.

I knew what the Big and Little Dipper looked like, what each and every moon phase looked like and what caused each one.

But I never remember seeing any of that, which frustrated me. I though of random things and tried to recall memories about the sky and my dream, but my mind gave me nothing.

By that time, the sun was staring to rise. I shifted my position on the branch to watch it and smiled. It was pretty.

I figured that the others would probably be waking soon, so I climbed down from my spot and headed back to the Homestead.

I climbed up the stairs and proceeded down the hall and into the room to find Newt standing in the center.

"Where did you go?" He asked. "I was looking for you."

I felt a pang of guilt at his words. I didn't know that he would be up so early.

"To the Deadheads," I replied. "I couldn't sleep."

"Oh," he said. "Well, come on. I want to show you something before your try-outs start."

I nodded and followed him out of the Homestead and towards one of the maze walls.

He pushed back a cluster of ivy to reveal a small window that looked out into the maze.

We stood in silence for a moment, both staring out the window, before I wondered what exactly we were doing.

"What are we looking at?" I asked Newt.

"Just wait a minute. One'll come 'round soon," he replied. So I stood in silence for another moment before Newt pointed into the Maze.

"There!" He whisper-shouted.

"Where?" I whispered back. "What is it?" The window answered my question before he could. A hideous, bulbous creature stalked out in front of the window, making mechanical whirring and clicking noises.

Arms and legs and other unidentifiable appendages protruded from the monster as it walked along.

My breath hitched and my eyes widened in terror. I stayed still in fear that the creature would be able to see me.

"We call 'em greivers," he said. "They're why you can't go into the Maze, unless you're a runner. And they only go in the daytime when there aren't as many Greivers."

I shuddered at his words. There was no way that I would never go out into the Maze. Not with it infested with those things.

"I don't want to see it anymore," I said, pulling myself away from the window.

"Sorry if I scared you," Newt said softly. "But you had to know."

I nodded, understanding. At least now I knew not to ever step foot near that Maze. I wondered why they were there. Whoever sent us here must want to make sure we stay in the Glade.

But if they just want us to stay here, why don't they just keep the doors closed? They must want us to solve the Maze, but not make it too easy.

"Come on, then," Newt said, breaking me away from my thoughts. "It's time for breakfast."

* * *

I stood in line with everyone else, waiting to collect my food. I hadn't eaten anything the day before, or at least nothing that I remembered. It was so weird to think that I didn't even know where I was or what I was doing for half of the day yesterday.

Finally, I was next in the line and was handed a plate with a fried egg and a piece of buttered toast. It looked promising.

I stepped away from the line while I contemplated where to sit. Everyone seemed to have their own little friend group and then there was me. I decided to sit with Newt, as he was really the only one close to a friend that I had in the Glade. I scanned the rows of picnic tables until I spotted him waving me over.

Sitting beside him was Alby with few other boys that I didn't recognize joining them at the table. I hesitantly sat down on the other side of Newt, nervous with all the others I didn't know.

The first one to speak to me was a muscular Asian boy with short, dark hair.

"So," he started. "How hard is it being the only girl in the Glade?" He asked, a slight smirk appearing on his face.

"Um," I started, kind of unsure at how to answer the question. "It's pretty weird, I guess." And that was how the conversation at the table began and held up throughout the rest of lunch. The endless questions and remarks that I got were to be expected. But I suppose it wasn't as bad as I had imagined.

Once breakfast was over, I went with Newt so he could take me to my first try-out. Then I remembered what I had wanted to ask him.

"Hey, Newt," I said to him as we walked.

"Yeah."

"Um," I began. "What do I look like? And how old do you think I am?" He stopped walking and examined me for a moment before answering.

"Kind of curly hair, um, brown. Probably around 5'2" or so, and you have light skin. And your eyes..." he paused and looked at me closer. Why'd he pause? Were they weird? "I can't tell if they're blue or green. Kind of in between, I guess. With little gold flecks. They're really pretty. And you look around sixteen or so."

"Thanks," I said and smiled. I could feel a blush begin to rise up to my cheeks. He called my eyes pretty.

"You're welcome," he said. "Now, It's time for your try-outs. First job to try is Slicer."

* * *

I watched Winston cut the bloody slab of meat into neat slices.

"You want to give it a try?" He asked me. I hesitantly nodded and stood next to him by the counter. He demonstrated how to hold the knife and what size to make the meat chunks.

I cut the rest of the slab into pieces as he had shown me to do.

"Good," he said. "Now there's one last thing Slicers do. I'll be right back." He left outside for a moment and returned with a hog which he placed onto the table.

Oh no, I thought, sickened. He was going to slaughter it. The slicing was okay, but there was no way that I could slaughter the animals.

He brought the knife up to the pig's throat and slit it in one quick motion, blood pouring out of the wound.

He glanced at me, seemingly amused by my horror. He chuckled and said "So, this isn't for you, I take it?"

I shook my head. "I don't think that I could kill a pig, or any animal for that matter," I told him.

"That's fine. This job ain't for everyone," he said. I waved goodbye and headed out the door in search of Newt.

"See ya 'round, greenie," he called after me. I waved, despite the fact that I hated how everyone called me "greenie." I couldn't wait until someone else came up so that they could could be the new "greenie" and everyone would just call me Amy.

I found Newt on his way to the Bloodhouse, probably to fetch me for my next try-out.

"How'd it go?" He asked me. I unintentionally made a face when I thought of the pig slaughtering. "So, not so well, I take it?" He chuckled. "That's okay. It's not for most of us."

"What's next?" I asked, eager to change the subject away from the pig.

"Cooking. You'll help make lunch with Frypan," he answered. That didn't sound bad. Actually, cooking sounded kind of nice.

"Okay. That sounds better then being a Slicer," I said and he chuckled.

"Good that," he said.

"What's that mean?" I asked, still not used to Glader slang.

"Just 'good', I guess," Newt answered. "Like 'okay.'" I nodded. I guess that made sense.

"Come on. I'll take you to Frypan," he said. I followed him from the Bloodhouse to the kitchen to be greeted by a dark-skinned boy with a dark beard. I guessed that this was Frypan.

"Come on in, greenie," he said. For the next hour and a half or so, I helped prepare a beef stew with mixed vegetables. Frypan demonstrated exactly how to cut the ingredients and how much to cut. He was being awfully precise, if you ask me.

And although it was much better than Slicing, I wasn't very good at cooking. I couldn't chop the vegetables very fast and they weren't usually the same size. Despite this, Frypan was nice about it and tried to give me tips to improve.

By the time that lunchtime had rolled around and the stew was finished, I was pretty hungry. Frypan had politely told me that I had failed as a cook, which I had expected. It was fun, but I didn't have any skill for it.

I got my lunch and sat at the table with Newt just as I did at breakfast. The conversation went decently well, as it had at breakfast, with me trying to avoid talking as much as possible. It just made me inexplicably nervous.

But, again, just like at breakfast, I was the "greenie," so everyone had questions and wanted to talk to me. It also probably didn't help that I was a girl, the only girl.

After we had finished lunch, Newt led me to my next try-out: track-hoe.

 **Authors note: I honestly can't believe that I have so many reads already, with only two chapters up. At the time of writing this chapter, I had almost twenty, which is honestly sooooo many more than what I had expected! Lol.**

 **I'm going to try and update at least weekly, but I don't have a set schedule/day of the week when I'll update.**

 **Also, if you could leave a review letting me know what you've liked so far and what you want me to change/improve on. Thanks!**

 **~Ava**


	3. Chapter 3

Just as I had expected, I failed miserably as a track-hoe. It was hard, outside work, which I was certainly not cut out for. Zart, the Keeper of the Track-hoes, started me off easy with simple task; planting carrot seeds.

But apparently nothing could be made simple for me, as I couldn't get the spacing or the depth of the seeds just right.

It was also an extremely messy job. It was for me, at least. By the time I was done with my first task of planting, which was unbelievably simple, I was covered in dirt and sweat.

After planting the seeds much to Zart's dissatisfaction, he had me pull weeds in the garden, which I was slightly better at as all it required was removing something, no real technique required. Still, I was much slower than everyone else.

I didn't even need Zart to tell me that I had failed miserably when the try-out was over. By then, it was lunchtime. I ate with Newt and everyone else, as usual. After the meal, Newt led me to the Homestead to try-out as a med-jack. This was the first job that I thought I actually had chance at. Clint, the Keeper of the Med-jacks, instructed me on how to treat and care for basic wounds, which I got to practice when Winston sliced his forefinger open while cutting up a chicken.

Clint told me that this happened frequently and that Winston and Frankie were their most frequent patients. I pressed gauze on the wound, as I had been instructed, and then cleaned it before applying an antibiotic gel and wrapping it in bandage. When I was finished, Clint seemed to be pleased with my work.

Once Clint had explained everything to me, he asked if I wanted to be a Med-jack, as I possessed the skill for it, or if I wanted to take my chances as a Builder or Bagger, the two jobs that I had not yet tried out for. He warned me that if I refused a job as a Med-jack, and also failed as Builder and Bagger, I would be stuck as a Slopper, cleaning toilets and washing clothes for the rest of my life, as I could not go back to a job once I had already refused it.

So, naturally, I accepted the job as a Med-jack happily. In my opinion, it sure beat any of the other roles. Clint informed me that I would begin my job the next day. Pleased, I had left the Homestead in search of Newt to tell him. He seemed happy that I had found something that stuck and suggested I relax.

That's what I'm doing now, sitting on the forest floor, leaning my head back on a tree with Newt. He told me that he often hung out either here or in the gardens, kind of doing his own thing, as being second-in-command didn't require much daily work. We talked about random things; my new job, his job, how pretty the trees were, and the sun and moon being weird, which we were currently discussing.

"There's just no way that the sun here is real," he said. "It's much too orange."

"Yeah," I agreed. "And it's too big to be the real sun," I stated, just as an oddly metallic, centipede-like bug skittered across the ground. "What is that thing?" I asked Newt.

"They're called beetle blades. It's how the Creators watch us."

"Creators?" I questioned.

"The people who sent us here," he clarified and I nodded. They had a glowing red light at the front of the body, where the head would be.

"What do they do?" I asked.

"Just watch us, I think," he answered. "But maybe they do other things, I don't know."

I thought for a moment before speaking. "I wonder why we're here," I said. "I mean, there has to be a reason. But I don't understand how you could justify something like this," I said hopelessly.

"I don't know, Amy," he said dryly. "I really don't know why someone would do this." I stole a glance over at Newt to find him staring at the ground, a sad look etched onto his normally cheerful face. This caused me to frown and look down as well. Why would someone want to send anyone here, wipe their memories and send them up into a monster-infested farm with an unsolvable puzzle trapping us inside.

"I just wish I could go home," I said quietly. I sounded like a child when the words left my lips. Despite not even knowing where my home was or if I even had one, the thought of being away from it still sent tears to pool in my eyes, threatening to spill over. I turned away in hopes that Newt wouldn't see. I knew he had when I felt a comforting arm wrap around my shoulder.

Newt pulled me closer to him, enveloping me in his soothing warmth. "I don't know anything about my home, or if I even have one, but I just want to be there," I said weakly. "You probably think I'm crazy. That didn't make sense, I'm sorry."

"No," Newt said. "I understand. I feel like that, too. It's like I almost know I belong somewhere, or did."

I scooted closer to Newt to rest my head on his shoulder. He tensed a bit at first before relaxing. Despite never feeling safer in the Glade than at that very moment, I still couldn't help but feel homesick, as dumb as that sounded. Before I could stop them, I felt silent tears trickle down my cheeks.

Newt pulls me into a tight hug and brings me closer to him. I let out a single sob into his chest, which in turn triggered even more cries. He rubs soothing patterns on my back and threads his fingers through my hair as I continue to sob pointlessly.

"It's okay," he whispers softly.

"Why are we here?" I said between sobs. "I just wish we could all go home."

"We'll all go home someday. I promise we won't be stuck here forever," Newt said. That made me feel a little better, as I was reminded that there probably was a way out, but we just had yet to find it. That's when I realized how obnoxious I probably was to Newt, turning into a crying mess, whining about wanting to go home while we were in the middle of a normal conversation.

"I'm sorry," I said as I pulled away from him and wiped the tear tracks from my cheeks.

"What're you sorry for?" Newt asked me. "It's okay to cry. Come here." He pulled me into another tight hug before pulling away and placing his hands on my shoulders.

"You'll make it home someday. I promise," he said to me and I couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you," I replied before planting a light kiss on his cheek. He smiled.

"Come on. It's almost dinner," he said, still smiling. After all of that, I felt a lot better. I still longed for a home that I don't even know exists, but those feelings were numbed and pushed to the back of my brain as we walked through the Deadheads together.

 **Authors note: I'm sorry that this chapter was so short! I'm going to be away for a few days this week so I may not be updating very quickly. After I'm back home, I'll make sure to give you a really long chapter! Please don't forget to review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's the nice long chapter I promised you guys! Enjoy!**

 _The van doors slid open and I am thrown inside, accompanied by the two men that stole me from my mother. Was she even my mother? She didn't seem to care that I was snatched away from her, despite my pleading cries._

 _Inside the van, sat three others appearing to be in the same situation as I, looking terrified and scrunched in the corner shaking. Two were female and the third was male._

 _The girls were clinging to each other, their eyes darting all over the small space. The boy sat opposite of the crying girls, in his own corner, rocking back and forth, clutching his knees to his chest._

 _"Sit," one of the men ordered._

 _"Why?" I asked in a panic. "Where am I?"_

 _"Sit," he ordered again, firmer this time. I started to protest and he cut me off._

 _"Now," he said, this time through gritted teeth. Terrified of a confrontation, I slowly lowered myself against a wall, several feet away from the quivering boy. He didn't even glance in my direction._

 _The girls, however, kept their eyes trained on me. Two men stayed behind with us while the other shut the doors with a loud bang and left. Then the van started moving. This had the boy going insane. He instantly rose from his sitting position and began banging on the windows, begging and screaming for help._

 _"Sit!" One of the guards yelled, making no effect on the boy. "You have one chance," the guard warned. "Sit." Still, the boy continued his cries and pounded on the walls and window. The guards nodded to each other before one produced a gun._

 _Without any hesitation, he aimed it at the boy and pulled the trigger._

I woke up in tears with hands clutching my shoulders, sweat clinging to every inch of my shaking body. My widened eyes darted upwards to find soft brown ones, belonging to Newt.

"Are you okay?" He asked in a panic. Before I could stop myself, I had my face buried in his chest, sobs racking my shivering body.

"They killed that boy!" I cried out between sobs.

"What boy?" Newt, clearly confused, asked me frantically. That made me think. What boy? It was a dream. The boy wasn't real. But it had seemed as though he was. It felt more like a memory than a simple nightmare.

"In my dream," I managed to choke out in response to Newt's concerned question. "They shot him," I added weakly. He ran his hands along my back in soothing patterns as my cries shrunk into silent tears.

"It was just a dream," he whispered softly. "You're safe." It had l felt so _real_ , though. I knew he was right, I was safe, or at least as safe as I could be in this place, but the dream still resided in the very front of my brain, replaying over and over in my mind.

My tears came to an end and I laid my head on Newt's chest, focused on the soft and steady beat of his heart, which lulled me into a dreamless sleep.

When I woke again, the bed was empty and I was wrapped in the warmth of the blanket. I glanced out of the small window to my right to find the sun just making its way up to brighten the sky.

I sat for a moment, stretching my cold muscles and collecting my thoughts from the previous night. I shuddered at thoughts from the dream. Or memory. Whatever it was.

I slid out of the bed and onto the creaky wooden floor. I absolutely hated these floors as they were so loud. The slightest move seemed to be enough to wake everyone in the Glade.

I made my way across the room to my bag of clothes and toiletries. I decided that I had gotten up early enough for a shower, so I took the bag to the bathroom, which was just outside of the Homestead.

There were five showers, five shoddy toilets and only one sink in the corner. This was my fourth shower in the Glade, and I was beginning to get used to the fact that the shower water only got up to about room temperature. I washed and dressed myself quickly before others would be in.

I brushed my teeth and washed my face in the sink. I wished that they had a mirror in here, or a mirror at least _somewhere_. I wondered if I could get one somehow from the Creators with the weekly supplies.

I sighed before heading out to the kitchen for breakfast. Today's meal featured scrambled eggs with a fried mush that was probably supposed to be a hash brown. It's surprisingly flavorful and still warm from the pan.

I'm greeted by a few Gladers before they sit at their respective seats. The initial shock of my presence had mostly worn out by now and everyone's obnoxious comments and questions had died down.

Newt was the last to sit at the table and smiled at me before taking a bite of his eggs. His blonde hair was damp and messy, indicating that he had showered this morning. We make simple conversation for the duration of breakfast before I return my plate and walk towards the Homestead, where I'll start my first day as a Med-jack. That felt so weird. I had a job. I would spend the rest of my time in the Glade working as a Med-jack. That sounded pretty good, as I would be doing something everyday, consistently.

I could have a daily routine, something that I did everyday. I could have a life here. I could _make_ a life here. Those thoughts make me smile as I stepped into the Homestead and headed into the Med-room, where Clint had instructed me to meet him.

The room was empty of the other Med-jacks when I stepped inside. It was long and rectangular, with a fabric curtain separating the two beds that were lined up against the long wall. Each bed had a nightstand of sorts, with a drawer in each one, containing the most frequently used medical supplies. Along the wall opposite the beds sat wooden cabinets that housed all of the remaining med supplies.

I stood awkwardly by one of the beds as I waited for Clint and Jeff. Clint walked in the room first, followed by Jeff a few seconds later.

"Mornin'," Clint greeted me. "Are you ready for your first day on the job?" I nodded and my first day began.

The first few hours of my first day were uneventful and I spent the majority of the time cleaning the tables, cabinets, and beds and making sure that all of the medical supplies were neatly organized and in the correct place.

Clint and Jeff were surprisingly nit-picky about the way everything was cleaned and kept. After around a half an hour of maintenance, the Med-room really couldn't be cleaned anymore, so we pretty much just organized and reorganized for a while until someone finally needed medical assistance.

It was Gally, who I had heard the name of but had never actually seen or met. Clint told me that he was the Keeper of the Builders and I learned that he had crushed his hand between two planks of wood. His fingers had already begun to bruise a bit by the time he entered the room. A bit of blood dripped from his hand, which he caught with the other.

Due to the fact tha I was new, I was the one to treat Gally's wound. Which wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't for the unsettling looks he was giving me as I worked. He was smiling, but it wasn't a warm smile. It was creepy and made me uneasy and certainly wouldn't be expected from someone who had just crushed their hand.

Finally, the wound was cleaned and bandaged and Gally could leave. The creepy smile never left his face as he examined his hand. He rested it on the table before bringing his gaze back to me.

"Just try not to use that hand much for a while," Jeff instructs Gally. "But you can go back to work." Gally nodded before thanking me, which would be nice if it weren't for the look on his face. I felt more at ease the second he left the room.

And then we went back to cleaning, which only lasted a few minutes before Frankie entered the room, his hand bloodied as well. He had sliced open a sizable gash on the back of his hand, which wasn't surprising considering he was a Slicer. I bandaged him too, gathering the supplies that we had just put away.

The entire time I worked I thought about Gally. I couldn't decide if the look was because he hates me or he really likes me. I don't know which I prefer. Both thoughts give me the creeps. I shudder and try to take my mind off of it, but to no avail.

L

Once I'm finished with Frankie, it's nearly lunchtime, so Clint lets me go and tells me to meet him back in the Med-room once after I eat. I head to the kitchen for lunch, which today consists of chicken with an unnamed dipping sauce and a bread roll. I sit at my usual table, which is empty, as I'm early. I relish in my few minutes of silence before the rest of the Gladers join me.

They've all gotten over the initial shock of me being not only new but also the only female and simply greet me before joining in on other conversations. I like it this way and enjoy my peaceful little conversations with Newt.

"How's your first day been so far?" He asks through a mouthful of bread. I debate in my head whether or not to tell him about Gally, but decide to leave it out. All he did was give me a creepy look.

"It was good," I answer, smiling. "I like it." He smiles back through another bite.

"Good that," he says, using the Glader slang that I was still getting used to. We make simple conversation throughout the rest of lunch and I begin to forget about Gally. It wasn't even a big deal. He looked at me funny. So what?

I return my dishes and head back to the Med-room. This time, Clint and Jeff are already there and were leaning on one of the beds. We pretty much just hung out in the Med-room and only cleaned a bit as there really wasn't much else to do.

Clint and Jeff explained that this was a typical day, with not that many patients as there weren't that many Gladers. My job ends at dinner, unless I'm needed. At dinner time, I headed to the kitchen once again to eat. Tonight's meal featured a slab of meat that I presumed to be some type of meatloaf with a scoop of mashed potatoes and gravy.

Just like at breakfast and lunch, I was early and almost the first one at the table. The others arrived on time and I made conversation with Newt and occasionally other Gladers. I was beginning to fall into a relaxing routine, and I was beginning to like it.

My job is over for the day, so I'm free until tomorrow. I hadn't really thought about this part of my day. The sun hasn't begun to set quite yet, so getting ready for bed so early would be stupid, especially considering that I don't even need to shower.

I suppose that I could just go back to the Homestead, but what would I do there? There's no TV, books, games, or internet, so what would I do cooped up in a room? Besides, that was really Newt's room and it felt weird sleeping there, like I was taking it from him. I hoped that my sleeping arrangement was only temporary until they figured out what to do with me, as I didn't want to take away Newt's room forever.

I thought for a moment before my mind landed on a solution; the Deadheads. The quiet and relaxing forest was almost always vacant of people, making it perfect for me to relax. I smile at my decision before heading in the direction of the peaceful woods.

I decide to go and see the Graveyard in the farthest corner of the Deadheads, as it would provide me with a long, soothing walk and I have never seen the Graveyard before. I wonder how many stones there are. I want to believe that there are only a few, and that they had simply been horrific accidents.

But the logical part of my brain told me that a good portion of the deaths had to be caused by the hideous creatures that roamed the Maze; the Grievers. I shuddered at the thought.

The trees started off fairly sparse and became tightly packed as you moved deeper into the foliage. The odd thing about the Deadheads and really the entire Glade is that it's completely flat. No hills or even slight changes in elevation along the forest floor.

This made for a pretty easy hike. Halfway through my trek, though, I came face to face with my least favorite person at the time. Gally and I nearly bumped into each other when he stepped in front of me.

"Oh, sorry, Amy," he says. "I didn't see you." I had to fight to urge to scowl, and I didn't really know why. Why did I hate him so much? He gave me an odd look today, which was probably unintentional anyway. That was it. He hadn't done anything wrong. So why was I so freaked out around him?

"Oh," I mumble. "Yeah, sorry."

"Where are you headed? The sun's going to set soon. Then it'll be dark," he says.

"I won't be out long," I say, sounding as if I had to defend myself or something. Why? It was none of his business that I was taking a walk. "I'm probably heading back soon anyway."

"Well let me walk you back," he offered and I frowned. I accepted his offer reluctantly, and I was unsure as to why. Was it because I simply didn't want to be rude, or that I was afraid of him? That was stupid. Why would I be afraid of him?

As we walked, his arm snaked behind me and his bandaged hand settled around my shoulders. I froze at his unexpected touch.

"What are you doing?" I asked, partly shocked and also kind of angry, as I slid out from under his hold.

"Nothing," he defended. "What do you mean?"

"You put your arm around me," I snapped. Then, as if amused by my discomfort, he smiled. It was a smirk, really.

"Oh, come on," he says, moving closer to me. I back away and feel myself press into a tree. Then, in a split second, his hands are pressed firmly onto the sides of my face and his lips are pressed against mine. I shriek through the forced kiss and shove him away.

"What the hell?!" I furiously spat at him while wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. "What's wrong with you?" He grabs me again, holding me even firmer this time, and pulled my face to his violently. I struggled and emitted strangled cries of protest as he kissed me.

I brought my hands up to push him away and claw at his face. He grabbed my wrists and pinned my body against a tree, it's bark digging into my back. I continued to struggle, but he held me firm in place. So I started kicking and kneed him in the groin.

Breaking the kiss, he let out a yelp and I pulled away. "Help!" I screamed at the top of my lungs into the forest. "Somebody help me!" I had barely made it two steps forward before a hand fisted in my hair and roughly pulled me backward before slamming my face into a nearby tree.

Tiny white stars danced in my vision for a moment as I sat there, defenseless, unable to move. I felt blood begin to trickle down my face. Gally gripped my shoulders again from behind and whipped me around so that we were face to face.

Snapped out of my daze, I cried out again, and before he could strike me again, I heard hurried footsteps in our direction. Someone, I think it was Alby, pulled Gally off of me. Newt sat beside me and helped me to my feet.

I wiped the blood from my face as I was flooded with dozens of questions from everyone. The only one that didn't speak at all was Newt, who placed his hand down gently on the small of my back and walked me to the Med-room, the crowd of other curious Gladers following close behind.

I don't know where they took Gally, but I hoped it was far away. I sat on one of the beds in the Med-room as I waited for Clint and Jeff. They had to be found and brought in as it was past dinner and they didn't stay in the Med-room after that.

Alby pushed himself in front of everyone else to face me directly. "What happened, Amy?" He asked. Tears flooded in my eyes that threatened to spill over as I recalled the previous events, but I refused to let them fall.

"I took a walk after dinner and bumped into Gally," I began. "He offered to walk me back, so I went with him, and while we were walking, he put his arm around me, which I though was...weird so I pushed him away. After that he kissed me, but I pushed him away again. He held me down and I screamed and then he shoved me face against the tree. That's when everyone showed up."

Everyone was quiet for a moment as they processed the story. Alby broke the silence. "Everybody out," he said firmly, turning to all of the Gladers behind him. Newt stayed seated beside me, his hand still resting on my back. "Clint and Jeff will be here soon," Alby said, turning to me. "Get some rest." And with that he left, leaving just Newt and I.

"Are you alright?" He asked softly, turning to face me. I nodded, but I wasn't alright. My body ached and I was terrified. Before I could stop them, tears slipped out onto my cheeks and Newt pulled me into his arms.

I buried my face into his chest and cried silently as his hands trailed up and down my back and he whispered comforting words into my ear. That was the safest that I had felt all day and I longed to stay there forever.

 **Wow! First off, thanks for almost 100 reads! That's amazing! Please leave a review letting me know what you likes and what you think I should change or improve! Thanks so much!!**

 **~Ava**


	5. Chapter 5

**Ahhhhh it's been so long since I've updated! I'm so so sorry that it's been forever especially with how the last chapter ended! I've just had a lot of homework and of course the writers block didn't help lol. Enjoy!**

I sit up and turn my attention to the door when I hear it opening. Clint and Jeff enter the room and walk toward me, neither saying a word. I straighten myself and remove my arms from around Newt who stays seated beside me.

Both Med-jacks examine my face intently for a moment before Clint places a gentle hand on the side of my face, turning it to examine my wounds from all angles. Finally, he breaks the silence.

"Your nose looks broken," he says. "And you might have a concussion." He then instructs Jeff to get him gauze, medical tape and a few other items that I can't recall. My vision is kind of fuzzy now, and an obnoxious, high-pitched ringing echoes in my ears.

I squeeze my eyes shut and open them again, willing the ringing and aching headache away. Jeff returns to the bed with the medical supplies and sets them on the table beside Clint. He picks up a pad of gauze and soaks it in something before using it to wipe the blood and dirt from my face.

This stings in a few places, where my face was scratched from the rough bark on the tree that my face was slammed into.

"Um," Clint begins hesitantly. "I need to pop your nose back into place. And it's going to hurt."

"Just get it over with," I grumble. He nods before placing his hands on my face, one resting on the side of my cheek and the other gripping the sides of my nose. That in itself hurt, making me even more nervous for when he would have to pop it back.

"Ready?" He asks. I nod and Newt, who was still silently seated beside me, envelopes my hand in his and gives it a reassuring squeeze.

"One," Clint begins. "Two." I squeeze my eyes shut. "Three," he finishes and jerks his hand to pull my nose, creating a loud, painful crack that rings through the room. I wince at the pain and Newt squeezes my hand again.

"Good," Jeff encourages before handing Clint more blurry medical supplies which he uses to wrap my nose with, creating a splint of sorts. Or something.

"Is anything else hurt?" Jeff asks me. I have to think about that for a moment. I don't think so. I don't feel anything else, so I shake my head.

"Okay," says Clint. "You don't have to stay here overnight, so you're free to go. Feel better." I nod and stand to leave. I take my time steadying myself on the table before I realize that Clint, Newt, and Jeff were all staring at me.

"Are you alright? Do you need help walking?" Jeff asks and I shake my head, taking a tentative step forward, followed by another and another. Newt walks beside me, his arm still resting comfortingly on my back.

"Oh, yeah," I hear Clint call from behind me. "You don't have to work tomorrow. Or until you feel better."

"Okay. Thanks," I mumble before exiting the Med-room with Newt. He leads me into my room, or his room, whatever it is.

"Are you going to be okay tonight?" Newt asks as we step inside. I have to think for a minute before answering.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," I say.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," I assure him. "I'll be fine."

"Okay," he says. He stands there for a moment, appearing lost in thought. "I'll just be next door if you need anything. Goodnight." He turns and leaves, pulling the door to its close. I stay still for a moment, wishing that I had asked him to stay. Even though I know that Gally is probably in the Slammer right now and he can't hurt me now, I'm still scared, as stupid and cowardly as that sounds.

I force myself to change into my night clothes, which are really just a pair of the most comfortable pants from my supply bag and a soft t-shirt that I change into at night. I have to pause halfway through to sit on the bed to will away the throbbing headache.

I compose myself and finish changing before slipping off my shoes and socks and setting them down at the foot of the bed. I flick off the dim light and crawl into the bed to lay on my back, staring at the ceiling.

Despite being completely and utterly exhausted, I can't seem to find sleep. My headache certainly doesn't help. Normally, if this would happen, I would simply take a walk outside in the Deadheads. Now I wasn't sure if I would ever be able to even go near the forest again. Gally ruined that.

I toss and turn for a while, willing the headache and memories from earlier away. Eventually, my exhaustion wins out and I drift off to sleep, but it doesn't last for long.

Once again, I wake suddenly, covered in sweat and tears with Newt standing over me, hands on my shoulders. "Sorry," I mumble, taking a moment to compose myself.

"Don't be," he says softly, removing his hands from their iron grip on my arms and placing one gently on the small of my back. "Are you alright?" He asks. No. I'm not alright. I shake my head and bury my face in his chest before he can see me cry. How many times had Newt seen me cry? I wondered. I feel embarrassed as I don't even remember.

I hate crying in front of people. It makes me feel weak and exposed. I need to quit crying so often. They were just nightmares. Nothing more. Gally was locked up now and I was safe in the Homestead. But those thoughts couldn't control the tears as my silent cries worsened into heaving sobs. I was probably so obnoxious to Newt. I woke him every night and then sat there and cried.

He stroked my hair softly, something that I found oddly comforting. This soothed me and he spoke once I calmed down.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asks gently. I shake my head against his chest. We sit there for a moment before I feel him shift.

"Don't leave," I beg and pull him closer. He chuckles a bit and places a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"I'm not going to leave you," he whispers.

We lay there together for a little while longer before I break the silence again.

"Newt?" I begin quietly.

"Hm?"

"Would um...stay with me tonight?" I bite my lip as I wait for his response.

"Yeah," he answers. "Of course." I smile and lay my head back down on his chest and fall back to sleep.

 **Thanks so much for reading! Please leave a review I letting me know what you liked and what you want me to improve! Thanks!**

 **~Ava**


	6. Chapter 6

When I wake again, the bed is empty. Newt probably just had to get up for work. I glance out the window to find the sun already fully illuminating the sky. I panic for a moment before realizing that I didn't have to work today. I frown as last nights events in the woods filter back into my brain. I gingerly bring my hand up to my nose to feel the bandages. My head hurt also, but it was a dull pain, unlike the sharper pain in my nose.

The amount of light in the room seemed odd, as I was used to waking when the sun was just beginning to rise. I suppose I should go and get breakfast, but I really don't want to leave the comfort of the Homestead right now, especially looking like this. I know that everyone would ask about the bruises and bandages, and I really don't feel like explaining anything right now.

I sigh and lay back in bed. What was I going to do all day? A soft knock on the door breaks me away from my thoughts. I kick away the blanket and sit on the edge of the bed before answering.

"Come in," I say, praying it wasn't someone visiting me to ask questions. I smile as Newt enters, a plate of eggs and toast in his hands.

"I brought you breakfast," he says and sits on the bed beside me, placing the plate gently in my lap. I smile.

"Thanks," I say. "But you didn't have to."

"Don't worry about. Eat." I shovel a forkful of the eggs in my mouth, grinning as the flavor explodes on my tongue and I realize how hungry I am. I shovel down the rest of them before starting on the toast.

I pause when I hear a chuckle from beside me and I turn to face the source of the laugh.

"What?" I ask, my voice muffled from a mouthful of warm bread.

"You're pretty hungry, then, huh?" He says, eliciting a smile from me.

"Yeah, I didn't think I was," I say. "I wasn't even going to get breakfast." I looked down at the plate and broke off a piece of toast. "Here," I say, handing it to Newt. "It feels weird eating when you're not."

"I brought it for you," he protests. "I already ate."

"Just share the toast with me," I urge.

"Alright," he agrees, biting in to his piece of bread. I smile and do the same. We sit there for a moment, enjoying the meal before Newt speaks, his tone turning serious.

"So..." he begins hesitantly. "Gally is in the Slammer for now. There's going to be a Gathering to discuss what should be done. And Alby wants you to go." I frown. I don't want to go. Then I'd have to tell all of the Keepers what happened. Again.

"Do I have to go?" I ask.

"I think so," he answers softly. "If you want Gally to be punished." I frowned. I didn't want to go, but I didn't want Gally to be free. So I agreed to attend.

"Okay," I say reluctantly. "I guess I'll go." Newt gives me a sad smile.

"It won't be that bad," he reassures. "I promise." I wanted to believe him, but I knew it would be hell. So I just give a small nod and smile.

Newt and I walked beside each other down the shoddy stairs to the big room on the bottom floor of the Homestead, where the Gatherings are held. Alby, Minho, Winston, Frypan, Zart, and Clint were already there, along with a few other boys I didn't recognize. Gally was also there, sitting between Alby and Minho. That was probably a good thing, considering they both looked pretty strong. Although I avoided looking at him, he still stared at me. It appears that we were the last ones to arrive, so I quietly sit down in an open seat and turn my attention to Alby, who has just begun to speak.

"I assume that most of you know why you're here," he says. "But, in case you don't, Gally attacked Amy last night, and we need to decide on a punishment." I turn my gaze down to the floor, not wanting to look up at all of the faces that are surely staring at me.

The rest of the Gathering is a blurry haze that didn't even feel real. First I had to tell everyone what happened, which would have been bad enough without being told multiple times that I needed to speak louder. The Keepers discussed, Gally yelled once or twice in protest of what they were saying and Alby shushed him. I kept my head down and stared at the floor for the duration of the discussion, occasionally answering questions.

A month in the Slammer. That was what it came down to. The Keepers debated, some voting for Banishment, others rooting for a lesser punishment of a simple week in the Slammer. They compromised, and settled on one month. I didn't have any involvement in this, which I was grateful for. It seemed kind of useless that I was there, considering all I had to do was tell everyone what happened, which I had done last night.

If I was required to have a say, though, I'm not sure what I'd vote for. I don't think that I'd want Gally to be banished, whatever that meant. No one explained to me that aspect of the rules here, but I don't think it happens often. Whatever it was, it didn't sound good and I think it would make Gally hate me even more. And a week in the Slammer didn't seem like enough, but a month didn't either. I don't know what I'll do when he gets out.

After what felt like hours, the Gathering was over and Gally's punishment was settled at one month in the Slammer. He was escorted out by two Keepers and probably taken to the Slammer. Everyone else began to file out, so I did the same. Newt caught up with me at the door and I realized that I had nearly completely forgotten about him. I guess I was too preoccupied with thinking about the Gathering.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" He says. I shrug.

"Yeah," I answer. "I guess."

"Good," he says and smiles. "Well, it's nearly lunchtime now. Do you want to eat with everyone else? Or do you want to just stay in the Homestead?" He asks. My head hurt. It had only been a dull ache this morning, but now it was throbbing and sharp. My mind needed a break from thinking about Gally. And everyone for that matter.

"I think I'll just bring my food to the Homestead," I say.

"Okay," Newt says. "I can bring it for you, if you want." That sounded nice, I thought to myself. But I was perfectly able to get it myself. I didn't want to feel like he was taking care of me.

"That's okay. I can get it," I say. "But..." I start hesitantly. "Would you eat with me?" He instantly smiles.

"Of course," he says. "Come on."

We sit together, eating our meals consisting of a chunk of grilled chicken and green beans. I tried to make conversation, but I was awful at it. So we sat in mainly silence until Newt finally spoke.

"So," he starts. "Are you...okay? Does your head hurt? Or your nose?" I barely noticed the headache anymore, as I had gotten used to it.

"My nose is still a little sore," I say. "But it's not bad," I add quickly, reassuring him. He nods and looks back down at his plate, picking at the chicken. I stare at Newt for a moment, trying to think of what to say. He was muscular, which was probably attributed to years of working in the Glade. He had told me that he's been here two years. That was two years of hard work everyday. I wonder how long I'll be here.

My eyes trail down to his injured leg. Well, technically it was healed, but he still had a limp. I had noticed it immediately, but didn't put any thought into how it came to be. And it seemed like asking would be rude. I don't know what it is about Newt, but he just seems different than everyone else. We finish our meals and, or course, Newt offers to bring my plate back for me. I accept this time and I'm left alone in my room. It's so boring being stuck in here all day.

I'll ask Clint tomorrow if I'm well enough to work. I think I am, but he might not. I hope he does. I lay my head back on the pillow and count the knots in the wood above me to pass the time. It was going to be a long time before dinner.

 **Please don't forget to review and let me know what you liked/what you would like me to improve on! So sorry again that I took so long to update! I'm trying to get better at that!**

 **~Ava**


	7. Chapter 7

Newt came to my room shortly after dinner to visit me. There was no particular reason that he was there, so it felt nice and relaxed.

"How are you feeling?" He asks for the billionth time.

"I'm fine, Newt. Don't worry," I reassure him. "I think I want to go back to work tomorrow." He looks a bit surprised by this.

"Are you sure you feel okay?" He presses, but I can't help but chuckle.

"I'm fine, Newt," I repeat. "I'm bored being cooped up here all day." He nods and looks down for a moment.

"Okay," he says hesitantly, looking back up at me. "If you're alright."

"I am!" I insist. "Trust me."

He smiles and nods again. "Okay."

"Oh, yeah, when are you getting your room back?" I ask, and he stares at me, clearly confused. "I mean, where am I going to stay? This is your room," I clarify.

"Oh, I almost forgot," he says. "They cleared out a room for you downstairs. You can move in whenever you want. It's pretty big, so there's room for more beds or hammocks. In case we get more girls, or something." I had never thought about there being another girl. That sounded nice, having another girl around. I smile at the thought.

"Okay," I answer. I decide to move in tomorrow, after I work. If I can work. I don't even know if I'll be allowed to. I hope I am. I feel fine.

"I'm going to go," Newt says, breaking me from my thoughts. "I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight." I smile.

"Goodnight," I say and he leaves. I lay back on the bed for a while, not to sleep, but just to think.

I knew I needed to shower. I had needed to shower since last night when Gally attacked me. I was thrown on the ground and had sat in the dirt. I haven't changed my clothes since. But I don't want to leave the comfort of the Homestead, which was free of curious eyes that would surely stare at the bandages and bruises. I would have to bathe sooner or later, so I might as well do it now.

I had strategically waited until most everyone was in bed to avoid as much interaction as possible. I peek out the door, satisfied when I find the hallway empty. I tiptoe down the stairs and head towards the bathroom, clutching my soap and change of clothes tightly to my chest. I grin as I step inside to find it empty as well. I choose the second-farthest shower from the door and scrub myself clean.

I stare at the floor, watching as dirt and little streaks of blood wash down the drain. I stand there, my mind going black and the warm water cascading soothingly down my bare back. I stand there until I feel clean enough to step out of the stream. I quickly dry and dress myself before heading back inside the Homestead. I smile as I step into my, well Newt's, room. My skin feels soft and refreshed, and I'm sure I smell better, too.

I lay back on the bed and finger comb my hair, too comfortable to get up and get my comb. Once I'm satisfied with my work, I turn over on my pillow and fall into sleep.

Why does this always happen to me. Why can't I just get a full night of sleep? Once again, I wake suddenly, shaking and sweating from a nightmare. Of course this time it was about Gally. In this version of the event, after violently attacking me, he had pinned me up against a tree and was roughly kissing me, much to my disgust. But this time, no one heard me screaming and yelling. I jolted awake as he had begun to rip at my shirt.

As always, Newt was there, holding me and comfortingly rubbing my back.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He whispers to me softly. I shake my head. Why would I want to relive it? I don't hesitate in asking this time. I'm too tired to think about it.

"Would you stay?" I whisper. "Please."

"Mmm-hm," he hums quietly and I settle into his chest and fall back to sleep.

When I wake again, as usual, the bed is empty. I slip out from under the blanket and into a pair of clean clothes. I fix my hair into a simple braid and head into the bathroom, which, thankfully, was empty, to brush my teeth. Once I'm finished, I examine myself in the mirror. I knew that I wouldn't be allowed to work if I looked sick or tired. The scratches and bruises remained on my face, but they had faded a bit and begun to heal.

I straighten my shoulders and adjust my hair. Would I let myself go back to work? I think so. I look well enough. The only things wrong are the bruises and marks, but maybe they're not as noticeable as they look in the mirror. There's not really much else I can do, so I head out of the bathroom and into the Med Room.

Clint and Jeff had already begun cleaning when I walked in, their backs to me. They both turned around at the same time to face me.

"Um, hi," I say hesitantly. "I'm feeling better, so I was wanting to come back to work." I blurt out. They both stand still for a moment, thinking, before Clint answers.

"Are you sure?" He asks. "Let me see your nose." I nodded nervously. I haven't taken the bandages off so I couldn't inspect it. I sit on the bed, praying in my head that it looked okay. I hold my breath as Clint gently turns my head from side to side, examining me from every angle. Then he places his hand on the bandage, slowly peeling it off. He stares again for a moment, before nodding.

"It looks like it's healing fine," he says and I let out a breath of relief.

"So, can I start working again?" I ask eagerly. I would've never thought that I would be begging to work.

"Yeah, I don't see why not," he replies. "But be careful. And tell me if your head starts to hurt." I nod and smile gratefully, excited to get back to work.

"So I can start now?" I ask quickly to clarify. He nods.

"Yeah, if you want. We've just been cleaning today, though." I grin even wider. No more days cooped up inside with nothing to do. I beam as I begin my work, scrubbing tables and cabinets. It wasn't my favorite thing to do, but it certainly beat doing nothing.

No one hurt themselves that day, so Clint let Jeff and I go early, allowing me to be one of the first ones to arrive at lunch. I took my seat at my usual table, soon being joined by Alby, Minho and Newt.

"You seem happy," Newt comments as he sits. I nod through a mouthful of food.

"Clint let me go back to work," I inform him. He smiles.

"Good that," he says. "So, you like being a Med-Jack, I take it."

"Yeah," I answer. "And, of course, I was sick of being cooped up in the Homestead all the time." He nods in understanding. We continue lunch like this, making simple conversation. Once I'm finished, I head back to the Med Room to find Clint and Jeff already there. He greets me with a small wave and I join him in taking inventory of this weeks supplies, which included more bandages, gauze, alcohol, thread, and cloth as well as a new scalpel and needle.

I had seen the scalpel before in the storage drawers but had never seen it used. It was old and tarnished and it was probably best that the Creators sent us a new one. I guess that the scalpel is only used for surgeries, which I don't think would happen often. After everything had been neatly put in it's place, Clint let me go for the night, seeing as there was nothing else to do. So I wander the Glade, not being able to go back into the Deadheads yet, but desperately wanting to. I had loved the Deadheads. The trees and seclusion had made it so peaceful.

I sigh. I don't know if I'll ever be able to go back there at all, let alone by myself. Wait a minute, no. Why wouldn't I? Gally's in the Slammer. I was safe. I couldn't let him take that peace and quiet away from me. I decide that I'm ready, as I have nothing to be scared of in the Deadheads. They're just trees. I hesitantly take my first step into the tree line, then another. And another and another until I was fully engulfed into the trees.

I smile. There was nothing scary out here, nothing to be afraid of. I keep walking, allowing myself to become lost in thought like I used to. My mind wanders to Newt. I wonder what we are. I secretly want to be more than friends, but I doubt he feels the same. Still, it didn't feel like people who were just friends shared a bed.

I'm broken from my thoughts as I realize where I've taken myself. I stand

right in front of the tree that I had been slammed into. The mere sight of this place brings back memories, causing tears slip down my cheeks. The memories are vivid, even more so than the nightmares. I clutch my head and lean against a tree, willing the thoughts away. I don't even realize that I'm screaming until I start to feel it in my throat. Faint footsteps in my direction are all I can register from beneath the visions of the flashbacks.

 **Authors Note: Thanks so much for reading! I'm so so sorry that it's been taking me so long to update! Once again, I'm going to try to update weekly! Maybe l'll make it this time! Please leave a review letting me know what you liked/want me to change!**

 **~Ava**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi everyone! I actually managed to update within a week! Yay! Hopefully I can keep it up! Also, thanks so much to Kiki Blossom and Ineedaname for your wonderful reviews! This chapter is a bit short but I think you'll like it! Enjoy!**

 _Gally's blurry face is all I can make out from beneath a mask of tears and blood. I try to run, but end up violently slammed up against a tree. Tiny white stars dance in my vision as I desperately attempt to cry out for help. My cries, however, come out on soft squeaks of protest that surely no one can hear._ _Suddenly, I feel a strong grip on me shoulders, whipping me around._

This brings me back into reality, and I find Newt's, not Gally's face, inches away from mine.

"Amy! Amy! Are you okay? What happened?" He asks frantically, his eyes darting all around my face. I can't control the tears any longer and I cling to Newt, burying my face into his shirt, which muffles my sobs. He doesn't say a word after that and his arms find their way around me comfortingly.

"Hey, it's okay," he cooes gently. "You're safe. I promise." Once my cries subside into little sniffles and hiccups, I begin to explain.

"I was bored, so I decided to take a walk in the woods," I begin. "But I ended up here and..." I trail off. Newt continues to rub my back.

"It's okay," he whispers into my hair. "Come on, let's head back to the Homestead." He removes his hands from me back and stands, helping me to do the same.

I stare at the ground as I walk, ignoring the stares and glances I get from other Gladers as they pass. Newt leads me into his room and sits me on the bed. I realize that I was supposed to move into my new room tonight, but decide I'll wait until tomorrow. I don't want to get up.

"What happened? Why'd you go back?" Newt asks me gently, enveloping my small hands in his larger ones. I suck in a breath before I speak.

"I just wanted to take a walk in the woods," I begin slowly, staring at the ground. "It helps me think. But I just...walked back there. I don't know why."

"I would've gone with you," he says softly. "Just ask and I'll go with you." I nod and we both just sit there for a moment. "You must be tired. I'll leave so you can change," Newt says, breaking the silence. Then he plants a light kiss on my forehead, something he had never done before. I nod my head numbly as he gets up and exits the room, shutting the door behind him. It takes me a bit to make myself move off the bed as my mind is still preoccupied with earlier's events.

Curiously, I thought more about Newt's chaste kiss than anything else. I knew that it meant nothing, it was a quick peck on the forehead, but nonetheless it made me smile. I finally force myself to stand and slip into my nightclothes. All of my garments probably needed washed by now, so I make a mental note to give them to the Sloppers tomorrow.

I sit back on the bed with my brush and quickly detangle my hair. I set my dirty clothes aside and lay back on my pillow. I hoped that Newt would come back tonight, so I don't allow myself to fall asleep. Soon enough, soft tapping echoed on the wooden door and Newt walked in.

"Hi," he greets.

"Hi," I say back. He walks over to me and sits on the edge of the bed.

"Are you okay now?" Newt asks, genuine concern in his voice.

"I'm fine," I say. He pivots his body around to face me and gives a sad smile.

"Are you sure?" He asks slowly. I think for a moment. Nothing actually happened, it was just a memory.

"Yeah, I'm okay," I say. I look up at him, contemplating what to do next, and allowing my desire to win over. In that moment it was like everything had melted away as I leaned up and pressed my lips to his.

Newt froze for a moment before kissing back. He was gentle, almost hesitant. I wrap my hand around his neck to pull him closer. His lips were soft and warm and inviting.

When we both pull away, he stares at me.

"Why'd you do that?" He asks.

"Because I wanted to," I answer. "Did you not want me to?" I add, worried he didn't like it.

"No!" He says quickly. "I just didn't know...that you..." he trails off, flustered. I bite my lip, forcing myself to muster enough courage to speak.

"I um...I like you," I say, turning my gaze to the floor nervously. "A lot," I add quickly. I bite my lip again, awaiting his response.

"I-I like you, too," he says, stuttering a bit. At least he sounds as nervous and embarrassed as I do right now. "I..." he begins again. "Shuck, I've liked you since you came up in the box." I freeze. His words surprise me. Ever since I had arrived, I'd strongly believed that my feelings toward Newt weren't being reciprocated. I'm thrilled to hear that I was wrong.

I grin and look up at him. "Really?" I ask and he just nods. That was all it took for me to kiss him again. He isn't hesitant this time, his lips moving against mine until we both have to stop for air. I bring my gaze up to Newt and wrap my arms around him in a hug. He pulls me close, tightly enveloping my body.

"So...um, do you want me to stay tonight?" Newt finally says when I pull away. I didn't want him to leave, especially after that, so I nod. Plus, I've slept far better when he was there. He climbs up to he head of the bed to sit next to me and pulls the covers up over both of us. I lay my head on his outstretched arm, using it as a pillow as his other arm comes to wrap comfortingly around my torso, his hand resting right above my hip.

"Goodnight," I say to him, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Goodnight," he says back. I lay back and drift into sleep.

When I wake the next morning, Newt is still peacefully asleep beside me, snoring softly. I smile at the sight of him. He looks so happy and peaceful when he sleeps. I don't know what last night meant, or what we are now. Were we dating? Probably not. We had just kissed. _Maybe later on_ , I think hopefully. I hear Newt begin to stir, pulling me from my thoughts. His brown eyes flutter open and fixate on me.

"Morning," he says, smiling. I smile back.

"Good morning," I say. He sits up and I follow suit. Newt glances out the window where daylight has begun to stream in and illuminate the room with a soft glow.

"How'd you sleep?" He asks.

"Good," I answer. "No dreams. Did you sleep okay?" He smiles.

"Yeah. I sleep better when you're there." My heart does a flip in my chest at his words and I grin. I scoot up and kiss him lightly on the lips.

"I need to get up," Newt says once we pull away. I sit up and swing my legs over to sit on the edge of the bed. "I'll see you at breakfast," Newt says, planting a light kiss on my cheek before leaving. I can't help but smile. The possibility of a relationship with Newt was no longer confined to my imagination. _He actually likes me_ , I think happily. I pull myself up and slip on a simple pair of pants and a plain grey t-shirt.

I finger comb my hair and pull it into a ponytail. I quickly head to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. I examine myself in the mirror, tucking a stray hair behind my hair. Satisfied and giddy with excitement, I head out of the bathroom for breakfast.

 **Thanks so much for reading! Please leave a review letting me know what you like/what I can improve on! Ideas for plot twists and such are also appreciated!**

 **~Ava**


	9. Chapter 9

**I'm sorry this chapter is so short! Enjoy anyway!**

All I had been able to think about today was Newt. This entire time I had whole-heartedly believed that our relationship was and only could be platonic. I'm now ecstatic to know that I was wrong. I've daydreamed my way throughout the day, cleaning and eating my meals stuck in my head. Newt thankfully seemed to be in a good mood as well, smiling and laughing in conversation.

I had just finished dinner, and was on my way back to the Homestead to shower before everyone else got there. I had only had to shower at the same time as someone else twice, and those two showers were incredibly awkward and uncomfortable. Whether I was alone in the bathroom or not, I always brought my clothes and everything I needed with me into the stall, which helped a bit. Still, something felt weird about being naked and in the same room as someone else.

The showers are empty tonight, much to my delight. I scrub my hair and body quickly before dressing and heading back into Newt's room to take on the task of moving my things into my new room. Staying in his room made me feel guilty, despite the fact that he had assured me he was fine sharing a space with Alby for the time being.

I gather up my belongings and stuff them into my little black bag that had been supplied by the Creators when I came up in the Box. I didn't have much, just toiletries at the moment as all of my clothes apart from the ones I'm currently wearing are being washed. As I head out through the doorway, I bump into Newt's chest, my mind preoccupied with other thing.

"Oh...um...sorry," I mumble, snapped out of my head. He just laughs.

"It's fine," he assures. "Where are you going?"

"I was just moving into my new room," I inform.

"Oh. Need any help?" He offers.

"No, I'm alright. I don't have much, just this bag," I say, holding it up for him to see.

"Good that," he says. "See you later," he says, kissing my cheek. I wave goodbye and descend down the stairs to the ground floor, where my new room is located. I head down the hallway to my space and push the door open. Smiling, I step inside.

It was around two and a half times the size of my old room, with four beds identical to Newt's lining the wall in front of me and two large windows on the wall to the left. Dissimilar to Newt's room, each bed was accompanied by a small nightstand, all appearing to be empty. I guessed that I was the only one occupying this room at the moment and would be until we got another girl. I hope that we do.

I select the bed farthest to the left, beside the wall with the windows and unpack my things into its nightstand. As I'm doing this, knocking on the wood of the door brings my attention to it and Newt steps in. He smiles and looks all around the room, examining the space.

"Do you like it?" He asks. I nod my head excitedly.

"I love it. Thank you," I say and step forward to pull him into a hug.

"I didn't do it, but you're welcome," he says, laughing a bit. I have an urge to kiss him, and after last night I feel like I can. So I stand up on my tip-toes and press my lips to his. His lips meld into mine and I pull him closer, bringing our bodies flush against each other. We both pull away breathless, so I take a moment before speaking.

"So...um," I begin, unsure of how to word the question. "Are we...like," I trail off. "Together...now?" I look up at Newt's face to try to see what he's thinking.

"Do you..." he starts. "Do you...want to be?" He finally responds. I'm lost for words at this point so I nod while I think of what to say. My mind seemed to blank completely.

"Um...yeah. I do," I say. He smiles.

"So we're...together then," he says, as if testing the phrase. I light up. We were together. Newt and I were dating, he was my boyfriend. Wow, that sounded weird.

I'm broken from my thoughts when Newt kisses me, his hands finding their way to cup my face. I pull him close once again, entangling my hands in his soft, blonde hair.

We pull away and I hug him again. Our conversation couldn't have been more awkward, but I don't care. I wouldn't have allowed myself to even dream of this a week ago.

Newt and I lay down on the bed, our limbs tangled together. He doesn't ask if I want him to stay tonight. I think I've made it pretty clear that I do. He just softly kisses the top of my head and we both drift off to sleep.

Once again, I wake wrapped in Newt's warm embrace. I can't help but smile at the sight of him, his hair messy from sleep and his face relaxed. I don't want to get up, but I know I'll have to sooner or later. I pull myself to a sitting position and stretch my cold muscles. I bring my gaze back over to Newt, who's still in a peaceful sleep. I then glance out the window to find the sun just beginning to peek over the horizon.

I swing my legs out of bed to stand, but before I can a hand grabs my wrist and pulls me back down to the bed. "You don't have to get up yet," Newt mumbles, still groggy from sleep. I chuckle and lay back down. He leans in to give me a gentle kiss, his lips lingering a bit before he pulls away.

"I should get up," I say, reluctantly forcing myself out of bed. Newt frowns, but does the same this time.

"I'll see you at breakfast," he says, kissing my cheek before leaving. I can't help but keep smiling as I'm getting ready, braiding my hair and brushing my teeth with a stupid grin on my face. Once I'm finished, I head out for breakfast.

 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Please leave a review letting me know what you like and what needs improved! I'm also open for plot twists or ideas that you'd like to be included in the story. Thanks!**

 **~Ava**


	10. Chapter 10

**I am so so so sorry that it's taken me so long to update!! It's been nearly a month! I was sick for a week and didn't write at all during that time and I've been super busy in between that. Once again, I'm so sorry! And just when I was getting to update frequently! I'm going to try to update again in a week and maybe set a schedule for myself. Anyway, enjoy!**

No one was injured today, so we clean until lunch and Clint lets me go after that. Newt tends to have lots of free time so we end up hanging out together in his room after dinner. We mostly laid down and talked, stealing occasional kisses. He currently had his head in my lap and I was toying with his hair. Earlier, he laughed when I asked him if I could braid it but allowed me to anyway. I could play with his hair forever; it was amazingly soft and just the right length for me to run my fingers through it.

Newt kept looking like he was about to fall asleep, his eyes fluttering down lazily before opening back up. I smile down at him, thoroughly enjoying the sight of him so relaxed. Whenever I caught glances of him during the day while he was working, his face was rigid in concentration. He always looked so deep in thought, but now his mind appeared empty and peaceful.

I didn't want to get up, but the sun had already set and unless I wanted to be tired all day tomorrow, I had to get ready for bed. I scoot backward and Newt sits up and turns to face me.

"I'm going to get dressed for bed," I say, my voice higher than a whisper but not as loud as usual. He nods and gives me a light kiss.

"Goodnight, love," he says and smiles. He'd never called me that before, and I loved the way it sounded. I smile and kiss him again.

"Goodnight," I say back before heading out to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I return to my room and slip into a pair of freshly washed pajamas, delivered to me this morning by the Sloppers. I lazily finger comb my hair before pulling it up into a loose bun to keep it off of my face as I sleep. Then I slip into bed and allow myself to drift off to sleep.

 _I immediately freeze, out of both fear and astonishment. If they could kill that boy, they could kill me. I want to look away from the fresh blood splatters on the walls, but my muscles and bones feel locked into place, me eyes glued on the motionless boy. Tears silently make their way down my face in streaks, welling in my eyes before spilling and clouding my vision._

 _It feels as though my body is vibrating in uncontrollable tremors. They just killed him because he disobeyed an order, I think to myself, terrified beyond belief. Like he was just disposable._

I awake suddenly once again, wrapped in Newts comforting arms. "Hey, its alright, love," he whispers softly. "It was just a dream." I instantly relax upon this realization and sink into Newt's hold. "Go back to sleep." I didn't even know I was shaking until I began to stop. I slow my breathing and shut my eyes, slipping into a blissful sleep.

The first thing I see when I wake up is Newt's smiling face, his gaze locked on me. I instantly smile back and lean forward to place a soft kiss on his lips. "Good morning, love," he says. My heart flutters at the sound of the nickname. I don't think I'll ever get used to waking up like this.

"Good morning," I say back. "We should probably get up," he says and sits up. I sigh. If I could stay here with Newt forever, I would. But I can't. I give him one more kiss before pushing the covers off of my body and stepping out of bed. Newt does the same before walking towards me and pulling me into a tight hug, lightly kissing my forehead before his lips land on mine. We both pull away, breaking the embrace.

"I'll see you at breakfast," he says, giving me one last kiss on the cheek before leaving. Once he shuts the door behind him, I slip out of my night clothes and into a simple pair of pants and a t-shirt. I comb the tangles out of my hair before pulling it into a simple braid, a hairstyle that had become common for me to wear. Then I head out to the bathroom, splashing water over my face and brushing my teeth.

I head out to breakfast and take a seat next to Newt, who smiles when he sees me walking toward the table. I can't help but smile back. My giddiness fades a bit when I'm reminded of my nerves. As dumb as it sounded, it made me nervous to think about anyone other than Newt and I to know about our relationship. I didn't want it to be a secret, but teasing was sure to ensue once everyone found out. Surprisingly, though, no one commented at breakfast, which was nice.

After I finish eating, I head to the med-room to find Clint and Jeff already there, wiping down each table. They smile and greet me with a "good morning" before returning to their work. I grab a towel as well and begin with my own work. I feel as if I'm floating on air, my mind never leaving the thought of Newt. It seemed as if everything went from hopeless to perfect in an instant. All day, I daydream of a life outside of the Maze. I fantasize about living in a little house with Newt, complete with a garden and maybe even a little pond out back, surrounded with big sturdy trees complete with branches low enough to climb.

I think about going to see a movie, playing carnival games, standing under the rain and splashing in puddles and any other normal person think I can think of. Everything a normal person does, I want to do. Sleeping in, driving, riding a bike. Everything. I wanted my problems to be my phone being dead or being late to an event, not hideous creatures and wondering if I'll ever escape this place alive. That thought makes me frown, but more thoughts of a little house in the woods bring my smile back.

I'm broken from my thoughts when I catch Jeff staring at me, but he just smiles. "You seem happy today, Amy," he says.

"Yeah, I guess I am," I reply nonchalantly and continue to clean. I get a break from the scrubbing when Frypan enters, his hand burned from making lunch. I apply a bit of aloe and bandage it up before returning to my work. Half an hour later, lunch is ready and Clint releases us, seeing as though there are no more patients today.

Once again, I seat myself beside Newt. He squeezes my hand under the table and I smile at the gesture. Our fingers remain interlocked throughout the entire meal, Newt absentmindedly trailing his thumb over the back of my hand. I make conversation with others at the table until I'm finished with my food. "I'm going to get some work done in the gardens," Newt says once he's finished. "I'll see you at dinner." And with that he heads off. A bit unsure of what exactly to do before dinner, I make my way to my room to find something to keep me occupied.

I end up spending time making my bed perfectly, folding all of my clothes neatly, dusting every bed frame and nightstand and making sure that everything is in it's place. This unfortunately takes almost no time as my room was already pretty clean before I began. I sigh and spend the rest of my time laying on the bed and staring at the ceiling. Not the most efficient way to pass time, as it seems to make everything go slower. I don't really have any other options, though. There isn't a television and there aren't any books.

I think I remember Newt telling me that they asked the Creators for a TV once but never received one. He never said anything about books, though, so maybe that was worth a shot. Then I remember seeing paper in Newt's room, scattered all over his desk. I had never looked to see what was on the pages. Maybe drawings done to pass time. I make a mental note to ask Newt for some paper and a pencil at dinner. I don't know if I'm any good at drawing as I don't remember ever trying. I wonder what my handwriting looks like. Or if I can write at all. I think I can and I'm pretty sure I can read.

I smile. Even if I'm not good at drawing, I could always get better. I'm probably going to have a lot of time to pass as being a Medjack doesn't really require a lot of work unless someone's injured. Bandaging wounds, maintaining the Medroom and putting away new supplies is all I really have to do. And that work is broken up between three people. Bringing my thoughts back to dinner, I glance out the window and the color of the sky tells me that it's nearly dinner time. Smiling, I head out to eat.

 **Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a review letting me know what you liked and what you didn't or what you want me to change. I'm also open to plot idea if you have them! Thanks!**

 **~Ava**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi everyone! Once again, I'm sorry I've been taking so long to update!! I've realized that at this point there's really no way for me to consistently upload once a week so I'm going to have to stop telling you guys that I'm updating weekly, because I know I won't be able to, especially since I'm so busy during fall and winter. I'm going to try to update as often as possible, but there probably won't be an update once a week.**

 **Also, thanks so much for over 1k reads!!! That seriously means so so much to me!! Your reads and reviews make my day and I'm so happy you're enjoying this fic!! Enjoy!!**

I wake up next to Newt again, his long blonde hair messy and sticking up in places. After a moment, his eyes lazily flutter open and focus on me. "Good morning," he says groggily. "Happy anniversary."

"What?" I ask, confused. Anniversary?

"In the Glade," he clarifies. "You've been here for a month." I lay there for a moment before remembering. Today marked my one month anniversary in the Glade. I think about that for a moment, curious about the idea that I could only remember one month of my sixteen or so years of life.

My next thought pulls my lips into a smile. My one month anniversary also meant I would no longer be the "greenie," as someone else would be arriving in the box today. I smile at that thought. Maybe it would be another girl! I hope it is. That would be nice.

"So, someone else is coming up today?" I ask Newt and he confirms with a nod.

"I hope it's a girl," I say. Newt smiles at my excitement.

I sit up and slip out from under the covers, swinging my feet off of the bed and transferring my weight onto the wooden floor. Newt does the same and wraps his arms around me. I nuzzle my face in his neck, taking in his scent for a moment before pulling away.

He leaves my room to get himself ready for breakfast and I remain in mine to prepare myself. Newt and I occasionally slept in our own beds, by usually ended up falling asleep together. I noticed that his company kept my nightmares at bay. Or memories, whatever.

I slip out of my pajamas and into a simple t-shirt and pants, a typical outfit for me. Not like I had a choice, but they were comfy nevertheless. I brush out my hair, styling it into a ponytail today. I stare into my mirror, a gift Newt had obtained for me from the Creators. I like it better than the ones in the bathroom as I didn't have to leave my room to use it.

I think back to the first time I saw myself in one of the dirty bathroom mirrors, how I stared at my reflection, unsure of whether or not to believe what my eyes told me. I had examined every aspect of myself thoroughly as if I'd never have a mirror again. I didn't and still don't know if I'm attractive at all as I don't really have anyone to compare myself to. I must be in the eyes of Newt; he calls me beautiful any chance he gets, but I was unsure of how anyone else viewed me. W _hat if there's another girl and she's prettier than me?_ I think to myself.

I frown but remind myself that it didn't matter. Why was I concerned with how I looked in a place like this? I remove my mind from the subject and head outside for breakfast. I stop myself midway through my walk when I begin to near the box. I think back to how everyone crowded around the box when I arrived, all of them craning their necks to see what was inside.

That had terrified me, looking up to find dozens of unfamiliar faces staring at me. Shaking the thought, I make my way to breakfast.

Midway through my meal, an ear-splitting noise erupts through the Glade. Frightened, I immediately look to Newt. He, however, appears unaffected.

"What's going on? I ask him, concerned.

"That happens every month, when the Box is bringing up someone new," he says.

"They should be here in half an hour now," Mihno chimes in from across the table. I mumble a 'thanks' to both boys and breathe a sigh of relief knowing that nothing was out of the ordinary.

My nervousness then quickly melts into excitement. I cross my fingers for a girl, daydreaming throughout the rest of the meal about her, if she even exists. Even now that Newt and I are together and I've settled in, I still have a longing for a friend that I can relate to a bit more.

"Earth to Amy," Newt's voice says, pulling me out of my head. "Hello?"

"Sorry, Newt," I mumble, broken from my daze.

"Excited for the greenie?" He asks, causing a smile to spread across my face. I nod and he chuckles.

"It'd be nice to have a girl," I say. He nods and smiles at me. Then, realizing that my thoughts had taken up the majority of my mealtime, I scoop up my barely touched meal and return it to the kitchen. Then I head to work as usual.

I'm the first one in the Med-Room today, so I begin to wipe down the tables and floor as I wait for Clint and Jeff. They arrive just after I finish the last nightstand and join me in mopping the floor. Once we're finished, seeing as though now the new 'greenie' would be arriving any time, we head out towards the box to find a small crowd of other Gladers already looking to snag a front row seat. I'm sure many of them also suspected another girl, which probably added to their excitement.

I take a seat in the soft grass next to the box to sit and wait. Not long after I've found my seat, Newt joins me, plopping in the grass beside me and greeting me with a 'hello' and a peck on the lips. We sit in comfortable silence for a moment before the metal scraping noises begin to echo their way through the air.

Newt and I stand then to get a better view of the contents of the box when it opens. At this point, nearly everyone has gathered around to witness the event. After a few moments, the metal doors slowly begin to slide open to reveal what's in the box. I lean forward to get a better view.

Cowering in the corner of the metal contraption was a little boy, appearing maybe twelve or thirteen, younger than anyone else that I'd seen here. He looked pretty short and I guessed that I couldn't be much taller than him. His hair mousy brown hair fell messily over his face, which was screwed up with confusion.

I continue analyzing his appearance as Alby instructs the terrified little boy on how to use the rope to climb out of the box. I felt sympathetic towards him, remembering how scared I was when I arrived. At first he appeared as though he was on the verge of tears, but Alby's explanation seems to calm him down a bit.

The little boy is introduced to Newt, who learns his name is Chuck. With Newt now showing a calmer Chuck around, everyone goes back to their work. Clint hops down into the box to pass the crates of med supplies up to Jeff and I to take to the Med-room. We spend the rest of the morning and some time after lunch organizing new and old supplies.

Clint releases Jeff and I early, so I wander around a bit before dinner. I take my usual seat beside Newt to eat, but can't help but notice how Chuck was eating alone. He looked uncomfortable and unsure of what to do. I think for a moment before making my decision.

"I'm going to go sit with Chuck so he's not alone," I inform Newt before gathering my meal. He answers with an 'okay' and gives me a light kiss on the cheek. I make my way to the nearly empty table and plop my plate down across from where Chuck was sitting and introduce myself.

"Hi," I start out, kind of unsure of what to say. "I'm Amy." I extend my arm and we shake hands before he introduces himself.

"I'm Chuck," he says shyly, staring down at his plate of untouched food.

"How do you like it here so far?" I ask in an attempt to make conversation. Chuck just shrugs. I really should have planned what I was going to say as I'm terrible at making conversation. "You'll get used to it. I promise," I say, trying to reassure him, seeing as though he looked nervous. There's a silence for a moment before Chuck speaks.

"What's out there?" He asks, gesturing to the Maze. "I asked but nobody would tell me."

I hesitate before saying anything. "I'm sure they'll tell you tomorrow," I answer, not wanting to get in trouble for telling him before he was supposed to know. He nods simply before speaking again.

"Are you the only girl?" He asks, and I can't help but smile.

"Yep," I answer. "I just got here a month ago."

"That must be weird," he says and I laugh.

"Yeah," I say. "But I'm used to it." We make conversation for the rest of the meal, talking of random things. When we're both done eating, I say wave him goodbye and head back to the medroom.

 **Thanks so much for reading!! As always, please review and let me know what you liked and what needs improved. Your reviews seriously make me so happy!! Also, if you have any ideas or suggestions for events or plot twists that you'd like to see, I'd love to hear them!! Also, I don't know if any of you noticed, but I changed my username. Idk why, I was just bored lol.**

 **~Ava**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

 **Hey everyone! This update is quite late, so I'm sorry about that but I think you'll enjoy this chapter. I'm pretty proud of it! Enjoy!**

After dinner, Newt leads me into the Deadheads, insisting that he has a surprise for me. With his hand wrapped around mine, he pulls me along, all the while refusing to tell me where he was taking me. "Just tell me!" I yell through giggles. He looks back at me with a cute smile on his face and shakes his head. "You'll see when we get there," he says, clearly having fun teasing me. I grumble and give him a playful shove.

"Hey!" He exclaims, lightly shoving me back. We both laugh.

"Are we at least almost there yet?" I ask impatiently. "We've been walking for forever!"

"Yes, love," he replies. "We're almost there." I sigh and cross my arms, continuing to follow his lead for a bit longer. Then he stops abruptly and turns to face me. "Now close your eyes," he says. "I'll lead you the rest of the way." I sigh but do as he says. I feel his hand envelop mine and he begins to lead me forward, instructing me on how to avoid a few obstacles. Finally, he stops and lets go of my hand.

"Can I open my eyes yet?" I ask, eager to see where he had taken me.

"Be patient, love," he says, walking around me to place his hands on my shoulders and gently turning my body. "Open your eyes," he says softly. I do so quickly, eager to see where I was. My breath catches in my throat when I first take in the sight.

Before me is a lush green pool, colorful lilies floating around the edges. Soft grass and other vegetation outlines the area before melting into the rest of the trees. "Do you like it?" He asks softly, bringing me out of my daze.

"It's beautiful," I say, turning around to face him and kissing him gently. His hands come to fall on my hips, pulling my body flush against his. I deepen the kiss and bring my hands up to gently cup his face. I'm out of breath when we both pull away.

"I'm surprised you haven't found it," he says. "You used to come out here all the time." I shrug and press another kiss to his lips.

Then I turn to look at the pond again, unable to get enough of its beauty. I guess the Creators wanted to give us at least _something_ nice.

"Can we go swimming?" I ask excitedly.

"Of course," he says, smiling. His hand wraps around mine once again and he leads me to the edge of the water. Newt peels off his shirt and tosses it a few feet away before doing the same with his jeans, leaving him in just his boxers. I bite my lip and bring my gaze to the ground to keep myself from staring.

I admire his confidence as I sheepishly slip off my own shirt and pants, flinging them to the side as well before we both remove our socks and shoes. I then join Newt near the edge of the pool and he wraps his hand around mine. I squeal when my foot first hits the water and Newt laughs at me. "It's cold!" I exclaim, continuing to submerge myself little by little. Newt, however, slides his whole body into the water quickly and in one fluid motion and then extends his hand for me.

I grab onto his hand and grit my teeth before forcing myself to submerge the rest of my body.

I take a moment to get used to the water before beginning to glide away from the shore with Newt. After becoming accustomed to the temperature of the water, it begins to feel quite nice.

I freeze when I feel my feet beginning to drift away from the mud beneath them. I had just reached a part of the water that was over my head, causing me to panic as I don't know if I can swim or not.

My nerves calm as I take a stroke forward, easily gliding on top of the water. The feeling of the water rushing beside me is invigorating and calming at the same time. I easily swim from one side of the pond to the other.

"Love," Newt's accented voice breaks me from my thoughts. "Let's race," he says, an adorable grin spreading onto his face. I can't help but smile at him as I move to the edge of the water where he's waiting for me. "Last one to the other end loses," he says, pointing to the opposite end of the pool. "Ready. Go!" We both kick off of the edge and begin moving toward the finish line.

Despite my efforts to win the race, Newt beats me easily. I stick my tongue out at him as he stands with his hands on his hips, celebrating his own victory. He playfully splashes me in response to my childish action, which quickly turns into a full on water fight. I squeal as Newt grabs my waist from behind, hoisting me up and tossing me back up at the water. "Hey!" I exclaim, splashing him in the face. He giggles, something I rarely hear him do, as he retaliates by splashing me right back. After our laughter had dies down, he cups my face and pulls me in for a passionate kiss, bringing me closer to him than I thought was possible. The kiss quickly becomes heated as his tongue darts out to swipe across my bottom lip. We're both breathless when we pull away, the only sound occupying the forest were our labored breaths.

"Let's dry off before it gets dark," he says, taking my hand and leading me back to shore. We lay back on the grass to watch the setting sun as we dry. Then we slip on our clothes and walk back out of the woods to Newt's room, where I quickly fall into a peaceful sleep cuddled up beside him.

The next few days go by uneventfully, yet they're some of the most enjoyable days I've had in the Glade so far. Newt and I return to the pond for a second time the next day after dinner, once again partaking in yet another water war and make out session. The day after that we stayed indoors, cuddled up in his room. We talked about anything and everything that came to mind, from something silly that Chuck had said earlier to secrets that had never before left our lips. Then, bringing my quick period of bliss to an end, Newt informs me with a sad look on his face that Gally was to be released from the Slammer the following day.

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter!! Please please please leave a review letting me know what you liked/what I should improve on. I'm also open to requests or suggestions for plot twists or events for this story! Love you guys!**

 **~Ava**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hi everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!! Thank you all for your wonderful feedback on the last chapter, I'm so glad you guys liked it! I think it's been my favorite chapter so far! Again, I'm so sorry that it's taken me so long to update, but I think you'll like this chapter! Enjoy!**

I sit perched on the edge of Newt's bed, my fingers nervously wringing the sheets between them. "It'll be fine, love," Newt says gently, seating himself beside me and placing a comforting arm around my shoulder.

"No it won't," I grumble, leaning forward to rest my elbows on my legs and bury my face in my hands. "Gally's getting out tomorrow. Now I'll have to see him everyday. What if he gets sick or something? Then I'll have to treat him!" I say, my voice nearly raising to a yell.

"You won't have to see him everyday, love," Newt says. "And Clint and Jeff would take care of him. You wouldn't have to." Despite Newt's words being comforting, the thought of Gally being released makes my stomach turn. Seemingly sensing that I was still nervous, Newt pulls me into his arms and begins tracing comforting patterns on my back.

"I won't let Gally hurt you. Or even get near you. I promise," he says and I nod my head, beginning to realize how stupid I'm being. Surely Gally wouldn't even think about hurting me again, right? I'm sure he knew that if he did anything again, he would probably be banished. And that meant certain death. So what did I really have to worry about?

"Thank you," I say softly to Newt, my words muffled a bit by his shirt. "I was being stupid."

"No, you weren't, Amy," he says. "I understand. But I promise he won't hurt you again. I won't let him."

"I love you," I blurt out, unsure of what else to say. Neither of us had ever said those words to each other, and now seemed as good a time as ever for it. But for a moment, I'm scared that he won't say it back.

"I love you, too," he says, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. I smile, and we fall asleep soon after, locked in embrace.

 _Gally has me pinned against a tree, one hand clutching the knife that's pressed against my throat and the other firmly gripping my shoulder._

 _"I'm not letting you get away this time," he growls. I let out a choked sound, a horrible mixture between a whimper and a sob before the blade begins to pierce my skin._

I had woken up confused, my eyes darting around the room. I quickly relax the instant that I realize that I'm in Newt's bed. Newt had his arms around me, gently rocking me back and forth and stroking my hair. I melted easily into his comforting hold.

"Go back to sleep," he whispers, so I allow my eyes to flutter closed and I fall asleep for the second time. I didn't stay asleep for very long though, as my nightmares woke me several more times that night and Newt had calmed me down each time. After the worst one, I woke up crying so loudly I was practically screaming. It took Newt at least a solid five minutes to convince me that I was safe. When morning came, I was nowhere near rested and Newt didn't appear to be either. His eyes were outlined with dark circles.

"Good morning," he says groggily, slowly pulling himself up to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Morning," I mumble back, still half asleep. "I'm sorry I woke you," I say, feeling guilty for keeping him up.

"It's not your fault, love," he says, moving over to my side of the bed and planting a kiss on my cheek. "I'm going to take a shower," he says, rummaging through his drawers for a change of clothes before exiting the room, shutting the door behind him.

I sit on the bed for a moment, too tired to get up just yet. I force myself to stand and walk to my room after a few minutes, slipping on my clothes and brushing my hair before heading outside for breakfast. As I sit down, I can't help but think about Gally, wondering if he had been let out or not. I didn't see him anywhere, so I guessed not. My guess had to be good enough, as I certainly wasn't about to check the Slammer to confirm.

Newt sits beside me, greeting everyone with a "good morning" before we ease into our normal conversation.

I try my hardest to keep my mind off of him, but despite my efforts, Gally makes his way into my thoughts multiple times throughout the meal.

Newt seems to take notice, inquiring about my distractedness.

"Are you alright, love?" He asks, genuine concern in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I lie, not wanting him to worry.

"Are you thinking about Gally?" He asks, easily seeing through my lie. "I promise I won't let him hurt you. You're safe here," he whispers in my ear low enough that no one else could hear.

I simply nod and whisper back a "thank you." He responds by intertwining our fingers under the table, a gesture that makes me smile, allowing me to keep Gally out of my mind for the rest of the meal.

I head to the med-room after breakfast and begin wiping down the tables and shelves as I wait for Clint and Jeff to arrive. They enter the room together just as I'm finishing my last table. As usual, they both greet me with a good morning before we all begin organizing the new supplies that had arrived in the box yesterday. This week, we received the usual gauze, medical tape, and disinfectant. Occasionally, we'd get less basic supplies, such as a new scalpel or sutures, but I'd only seen one of these special deliveries since my arrival.

Due to the fact that no one needed any medical assistance, Clint dismisses Jeff and I after all of the supplies are put away, so I wander aimlessly around the Glade until lunchtime. Lunch went by uneventful, as did the rest of the afternoon. Once lunch was over, Clint let Jeff and I go once again seeing as though no one was hurt.

I roam around the Glade some more, bored out of my mind and desperately wishing for something to do. I know that it's incredibly selfish, but sometimes I secretly wish that someone would get hurt so that I'll have something to do. Of course, I only hoped for a minor injury, something as simple as a Glader with a cold seeking out medicine for a headache. I just wanted something to do.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, my boredom was replaced with nervous thoughts about Gally. It was only a matter of a few hours before he was to be released. Newt had informed me at lunch that due to the fact that Gally was placed into the Slammer just before dinner, he would be released just before dinner.

Dinner time approached much too quickly once I remembered that Gally would be released at that time. I kept my fingers crossed that he would leave me alone at dinner and every day after that, but apparently that was too much to expect from him. I reach the table before everyone else and nervously eye my surroundings in search of Newt. My eyes then land on a sight that made my heart nearly jump right out of my chest; it was Gally, dinner tray in hand and walking straight towards me.

He reached my table quickly, setting his food down with a smile. I simply bite my lip and look down, much too scared to ask him to leave. "Hey, Amy," he starts. "It's been awhile, yeah?" I don't respond, praying that he'll take the hint and leave me alone. What was wrong with him? He continues to talk to me, but I try my best not to listen, picking at my food and keeping my gaze fixed on my plate. _Where are you, Newt?_ I scream in my mind. Then, as if on cue, Newt's voice comes from behind me, clearly not happy about Gally's presence.

"Leave her alone, Gally," he says, his voice hard.

"Why?" Gally says, rather obnoxiously. "We're just talking."

"No," Newt responds, clearly annoyed. "You're talking, and she's uncomfortable. Leave her alone." I bite my lip, hoping that things don't escalate and that Gally will leave peacefully. And for a split second, I believe that things were going exactly like that as Gally stood up from the table, but instead of walking away, he turns to face Newt.

"I was just talking to her. Why don't _you_ leave _us_ alone," Gally spits. And that was all it took to send Newt over the edge as he lunged forward, throwing a punch that connected his fist to Gally's jaw, sending Gally falling to the ground.

I was frozen in shock, my mouth agape at what Newt had done. He seemed shocked too, his hand flying to his mouth, seemingly in surprise. Other Gladers rush to the scene, pointlessly holding Newt back and kneeling beside Gally. It wasn't long before Alby stormed over, certainly not happy.

"What the hell was that?" He yells at Newt, obviously furious.

Newt, still in a state of shock, stutters in his response.

"I-," he begins, before starting again. "He just-he wasn't leaving her alone and I just-got, um, mad." Alby's face shifted a bit before he responded.

"You got mad? So you punched him?" He shouts.

"I'm sorry," Newt mumbles, sending me an apologetic look before he and Gally are led away in opposite directions, leaving me still at the table, my shock not at all dying down.

 **Thanks so much for reading! Please leave a review letting me know what you liked and didn't like about this chapter, I'm always looking to improve and your reviews seriously make me so happy!!! I'm also open to ideas for plot twists or events for this story. I hope you enjoyed!!**

 **~Ava**


	14. Chapter 14

**I'm so so sorry that this took over a month for me to upload! I've been busy and had writers block and yeah. I just hadn't really gotten around to writing.**

I stood anxiously outside of the council hall, awaiting the results of the gathering called to address the events at dinner. I hoped and prayed in my head that Newts punishment would be minor, or that he wouldn't be punished at all.

Despite the fact that it had been nearly an hour since Newt and Gally were led away from the table and the Gathering was called, I was still just as in shock as I had been when Newt first threw the punch. I had never seen Newt angry like he had been before, with his hands balled up into fists at his sides, his teeth clenched as he spoke and his face red.

The last thing that I would have expected Newt to do in a situation like that was punch someone. Newt was not at all a violent person, nor did he anger easily. Everyone else seemed just as surprised as me then, their agape mouths matching mine as they took in the scene.

Then, breaking me from my thoughts, the door to the council hall flings open and all of the Keepers begin filing out.

Newt and Alby were last, and I rush forward to Newt the second I saw him.

"I'm so sorry," he says before I have the chance to ask what the verdict was. "Amy, I-"

"What happened?" I interrupted.

"A day in the Slammer," he answers, not bothering to finish his previous statement. "Sunrise to sunset tomorrow." He didn't seem too upset, but wasn't happy either.

"That's not bad. It could be a lot worse," I say in an attempt to cheer him up. He just shrugs his shoulders and looks down.

"I'm sorry, Amy," he says. "I really am. I was stupid."

"And I forgive you," I say. "Come on, let's go to bed and forget all of this until tomorrow." He nods his head and I grab his hand and lead him to my room, where we fall asleep together.

When I wake the next morning, the first thing I notice is Newt's absence, but I quickly realize that he was probably already in the Slammer, seeing as though sunlight had already begun to stream through the windows. I realize then that I had overslept slightly, so I quickly slip out of bed and get dressed before heading out to breakfast.

Breakfast was quiet today, at least for me anyway. Newt was really the only person I talked to during meals. I try to finish my food as quickly as possible before heading to the Med-room. I step into the doorway and am immediately greeted with a simultaneous "good morning" from Clint and Jeff before I join them in wiping down the tables.

Once everything is clean, seeing as though there's nothing to put away and no one to treat, the three of us just hang out as we await lunch, making light conversation. I'm surprised that Jeff never asked me about Newt, seeing as though he wasn't at the Gathering like Clint was. I guess Clint had already filled him in, which would make sense considering Clint and Jeff are pretty good friends.

Lunch was just as uneventful and boring as breakfast was. I once again made little conversation and tried to finish my food as quickly as possible. I considered joining Clint and Jeff's table; they're the only platonic friends I have, but decide against it in fear of intruding on their friend group. I don't know any of the other boys at their table and I'm not exactly great at making friends.

Once again, after lunch I head straight to the Med-room. Winston seeks treatment for a sliced open finger shortly after I arrive, which I quickly bandage up. Clint lets Jeff and I go after that, seeing as though no one else needed anything. Normally, I would just go find Newt and spend time with him if he wasn't busy, but he's still in the Slammer. So, I wander all around the Glade, occupying myself with pointless little things until dinner.

After the third meal of the day, I head to the bathroom to shower. I had hoped that Newt would be released right after dinner, but right now it looks like he won't be out until just before bed. I'm pretty sure he told me that he would be released at sunset, but I'm not too sure. After cleaning myself, I step out and slip into my freshly washed sleeping clothes. Clothes were always the most comfortable and soft the day after they had been washed. After brushing my teeth and hair, I head back to my room to wait for Newt. He should be released any minute now, seeing as though the sun had just set.

Then, as if on cue came a soft knock at the door.

I called out an enthusiastic "come in," knowing that it was Newt. He pushed the door open before greeting me with a tight hug.

"I missed you," he mumbles into my hair.

"We've only been apart for a day!" I giggle. "But I missed you, too. Everything was so boring without you."

"You think your day was boring?" He says, a smile forming on his face.

"Yeah, okay, I guess your day was worse. But at least now it's over," I say, pulling him into a hug again.

"Hey, listen," he says, pulling away so we're facing each other. "I know I already told you, but I'm sorry. I really am."

"Newt!" I exclaim, finding his constant apologies both humorous and slightly annoying. "For the last time, it's fine! I know you're really sorry, and I forgive you! Please just stop apologizing!"

"Okay," he mumbles. "But I do want to make it up to you. I've had a lot of time to think today, maybe too much, but I've been thinking about how you and I haven't really had a proper dinner date, so maybe we could have a nice dinner by the pond, and then maybe go swimming?"

"That sounds amazing!" I say, pulling him in for a kiss. "I'd love a dinner date," I say, smiling against his lips.

"Yay!" He says, his excitement mirroring that of a little kid. "So tomorrow then?" I nod.

"Tomorrow."

"Just meet me near the Deadheads just before dinner."

"It's a date," I say, smiling.

"It's a date," he says back. We both slip into bed, cuddling next to each other.

"I love you," I whisper.

"I love you, too," he mumbles back, already half asleep.

When I wake the next morning, Newt had already left. I slip out of bed and begin to dress myself as usual before remembering our plans for tonight. I smile as I imagine spending time with Newt at the pond again. I take extra care in fixing my hair this morning and make sure my clothes are freshly washed.

I head to breakfast giddy and excited, partly because Newt would be there today, but mostly in anticipation for dinner.

Time seemed to go by quickly in a haze of excitement. Once I'm let go by Clint for dinner, I quickly head to the Deadheads to find Newt already there and waiting for me. He was dressed in a set of neat, clean clothes, his hair slightly damp, indicating that he had just showered. He smiles as soon as he looks up at me before bringing a hand that had been behind his back forward to reveal a small bouquet of flowers.

"They're for you," he says, smiling. I take them happily, my grin growing even more.

"Thank you," I say before leaning in to greet him with a kiss. "They're beautiful. Where'd you get them?" I ask as I pull away.

"Near the pond. There's lots of them over there. I can get you new ones once those die," he says and takes my hand, beginning to lead me in the direction of the pond.

"That's so sweet of you," I say, smiling up at him. We walk hand in hand to the pond, where Newt had already set up what appeared to be a picnic. A blanket was laid in the grass beside the pond with a plate of food and a glass of water on each side. "This is amazing!" I squeal in excitement as Newt and I sit together.

"You like it?" He asks, already beginning to shovel food into his mouth.

"I love it! This was so sweet of you." He smiles and I swear I saw him blushing before he turned his gaze down. I pull him in for a kiss again, this one quickly deepening. "Now let's eat! I'm hungry," I say, breaking the kiss and beginning my meal.

 **Thank you all so so much for reading and for putting up with my crazy upload schedule! Please leave a review letting me know what you liked and didn't like. I'm also open to ideas for plot twists and stuff like that, so let me know if you have any suggestions! Thanks so much for reading!**

 **~Ava**


	15. Announcement

I'm so so sorry that I've been gone so long or if you thought this was an update! I just wanted to clear a few things up! No, I'm not abandoning this story, but I am rewriting it a bit in the form of a new fanfic. I really feel like I need to plan a bit more and outline the entire story before I begin. I'm also changing the title and Amy's name bc I really just don't like them. I'm currently working on planning out everything and also creating a few new OCs. The plot will be similar and some chapters will be the same, but I'll be changing some things, such as how fast Newt and the OCs relationship developed. I didn't notice it when I was writing, but when I go back and read the story, I realize how quickly everything moved. Once I get everything planned, I'll start probably write a few chapters before posting, and I'll actually be trying to upload weekly! I have less than a month of school left, so I'll be able to devote a lot more time to my writing soon! If I really work at it, I think I can have the planning done in a week or two, and I'm going to push myself to have the first chapter written and uploaded by May 31, if not a bit sooner, on my account (it'll be a new work). I don't want to spoil the story for you guys too much, but I'll give you one thing: the main OC's new name will be Rose :)

I'm also super open to suggestions rn, as I'm working on planning, so if you have any, please leave them in a review! I want this fanfic to not only be something that I like but also something that you guys will like. If you've read this far, thank you so much for being so patient with me!

~Ava


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